Sunday, May 26, 2013

BLACK VENUS- Beaudelaire and his Muse...

Beaudelaire in nineteenth century Paris- a Bohemian haven for artists...

Living off his inheritance, Beaudelaire is an aspiring poet who lives
his life high on late nights filled with alcohol, drugs and ladies.
Impeccably dressed, this distinguished-looking young man in his early
twenties enjoys his nights out on the town- and especially this
particular cabaret where he meets the love, and demise, of his life.

Jeanne Duval escaped Haiti with high hopes of becoming a famous
singer. Born from the relationship of a slave and her white master,
Jeanne would endure the hardships of non-acceptance by both races. She
flees Haiti at a tender age when she witnesses her mother being
brutally attacked by a gang of men.
In Paris, Jeanne was a night club singer whose sultry voice lured men
into buying more drinks. The fact that she was extraordinarily
beautiful, strong minded, aloof, sultry and exotic, made Jeanne all the
more desirable. Along comes Beaudelaire to win her heart, mind and
soul. Theirs however, was not a match made in heaven...

Love aside, Jeanne was the poet's muse. And perhaps the fact that
she never enjoyed or gave much credit to his work, that in itself may
have been motivation enough to send Beaudelaire to the limits of his
passion. That, unfortunately for him was carried through to his poetry-
and consequently to a public trial denouncing his work as obscene.

There was nothing ordinary about their relationship. Theirs was an
all consuming rage that bordered infinite carnal desire with mind games-
all that, lived through poverty, drugs, alcohol, adultery, and
ultimately, betrayal. His muse, his love and decidedly in more ways
than one; his destruction.
This was a captivating novel that shed light on more than just what
we already knew on Beaudelaire. But what I appreciated most was this
new portrayal of history's much maligned Jeanne Duval. James MacManus
brought forth a side of Jeanne that was easier to understand and even
have compassion for.